The Baltimore Sun from Baltimore, Maryland • Page 22

THE SUN WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1993 HARFORD COUNTY 18-year-old arrested on charges of distributing LSD at Bel Air High School By Mike Farabaugh Staff Writer Nine Bel Air High School students were suspended and an 18-year-old Baltimore man was arrested on charges of supplying them with LSD tablets, police said Monday. Police did not identify the man but called him the students' source for the hallucinogenic drug. When arrested Friday night, police said he had 119 LSD tablets in his possession. David Volrath, assistant principal at Bel Air High, had questioned two students Friday morning and had recovered a small amount of LSD. He then called the Bel Air Police Department.

Of the fifteen students interviewed, eight boys and a girl between 14 and 16 years old were suspended. Seven of the nine suspended students had a total of 45 LSD tablets in their possession, according to police. All nine were charged criminally 9 students suspended, face expulsion the use of LSD In our schools," he said yesterday. In the 1991-1992 academic school year, 27 Harford high school students were suspended for drug-related Incidents, Mr. Seymour said.

"Bel Air High had only one of those suspensions, so this (incident is so out of character for them," Mr. Seymour said. Students either caught with drugs or under influence of them draw an automatic five-day suspension, he said. Within that time, they are granted a hearing before a panel appointed by the superintendent Mr. Seymour said In cases where students are found to be distributing a drug, expulsion Is automatic.

In cases of possession or use, a student can draw a long-term suspension, usually anywhere from 20 days to the rest of the school year. "Each case Is evaluated as to its severity and circumstance," Mr. Seymour said. as delinquents for being under the influence or possessing, transporting or distributing LSD. Police said a dose of LSD, roughly the size of one-quarter of a thin aspirin tablet, sells for $5 on the street.

The drug causes hallucinations or strong mind-altering effects such as distortion In perception and highly exaggerated feelings. It has no approved medical use and may cause bizarre behavior. "There has been a resurgence of LSD use in the area," Deputy Chief John W. Harklns of the Bel Air Police Department said yesterday. Albert F.

Seymour, spokesman for the Harford School Board, said past reports on drug-related Incidents do not reflect what Illegal substances were Involved. "This is the first time I can recall 68 no 1 Aberdeen's old depot forgotten no longer 11 Restored station officially reopens By Adriane B. Miller Contributing Writer With little left but elbow room In the packed Aberdeen railroad depot, city residents, train buffs and state officials officially celebrated the reopening of Aberdeen's historic train station Sunday. All but hidden behind Aberdeen's pedestrian and vehicle overpass at U.S. 40 and East Bel Air Avenue, the old station had been vandalized and burned.

It seemed forgotten, even by conductors who knew It only as a blur they passed on their way to other stops. With little left to work with but the old station's frame and its wide wooden benches, workers gave It a new roof, windows and ticket office. They spruced up the walls and floor, restored and reinstalled the benches at a cost of $400,000. The work marked the first Improvements in 30 years. Aberdeen Mayor Ruth Elliott and Maryland Transportation Secretary O.

James Llghthlzer called the renovation the start of a new age of rail travel. Local historian Charlotte Cronin called it a rejuvenation of the city's legacy. Maryland rail commuters, who take the MARC train from Aberdeen to points south, Just called It good that they no longer have to wait in the rain to catch their trains. Commuters have had Penn Line rail service to Washington since May 1991 but essentially no shelter since the station opened In August 1992. The city of Aberdeen and the Maryland Department of Transportation's Mass Transit Administration were hosts for the station's open house.

"What this building signifies, is track Is back." Mr. Llghthlzer told the gathering of 1 50 people. "Rail Is coming back as a means of transportation." He said improving commuter rail service is the state's long-term mass transit strategy. "Rebuilding stations like this Is how we get there," he said. The Intersection of Philadelphia Road and Bel Air Avenue has been the site of a railroad station since 1835, when the tiny Port Deposit Baltimore Railroad laid tracks through the popular crossroads.

Legend has it that an enterprising businessman from Aberdeen, Scotland, known only as "Mr. Winston," built his house next to the rails at the intersection and opened a ticket office there. Whether he actually existed Isn't certain, Mrs. Cronin said. "But he's credited with naming the town, it makes a nice story, and it was a lovely house," she said.

The railroad went through several owners, but the rail station re- A northbound Amtrak train arrives at Aberdeen's historic railroad State-of-county speeches produce conflicting views (6 Our quality of life is directly linked to managing growth so that our county can continue to be a place where people want to live and X'' station. Restoration of the depot cost Mayor Elliott, who recalls taking the train from Aberdeen to Baltimore during World War II, called the station a "vital building block for future development In Aberdeen." Jim Buckley, assistant general I A 11 WILLIAM Q. HOTZ SRSTAFF PHOTO Council President Wilson says citizens are in "despair" several Individuals for their service, and said she believed in the need to reinforce the concept of community spirit. To that end, she said she would establish, a Futures Commission to encourage citizens and communities to help shape the county's plans. EILEEN M.

REHRMANN County executive "Without the railroad In Aberdeen, history would read very differently," Mrs. Cronin said. As she described Its Importance to the group attending the open house, an Amtrak train passed the station with an impressive roar, as if on cue. roads or water and sewer lines. So far, the only such legislation proposed by Mrs.

Rehrmann, and passed by the council, limits development In areas where schools could be overcrowded within three years of a housing development's construction. In her speech, Mrs. Rehrmann promised to Introduce the remaining pieces of a growth-management package, to include regulations on county water and sewer capacity, road capacity and transportation. "Our quality of life is directly linked to managing growth so that our county can continue to be a place where people want to live and work," said Mrs. Rehrmann.

She cited Improvements to Infrastructure expanding the Sod Run waste treatment plant and signing an agreement with Baltimore to tap its aqueduct for water as steps that "have helped to strengthen our foundation" for attracting businesses. On the community front, Mrs. Rehrmann emphasized the importance of volunteerism, singling out BO RADERSTAFF PHOTO $400,000. manager of transit operations for MTA, commended Mr. Llghthlzer and Harford County Executive Eileen M.

Rehrmann for supporting the station renovation when it seemed destined to fall under the state's budgetary knife. W. '-JV MARK BUGNASKISTAFF PHOfO But Executive Rehrmann cites county's economic health. "We have been through difficult times, but we have persevered," Mrs. Rehrmann said.

"We have worked hard to find new ways of doing things. And our county has moved forward. Our vision Is clear: a county where people want to live and work." tion, a union representing instructional assistants, nurses and others, also received unanimous board approval. The school system's 45 nurses would get a $5,000 raise over three years In addition to a 3 percent raise and step increases. The budget now goes to county Executive Eileen M.

Rehrmann, who must prepare her countywide operating budget by April 1. The County Council then has until May 31 to adopt a county budget. More than half of the school system's proposed budget, about $90.6 million, would come from the county, compared with $75.7 million in the current budget. The state would contribute 43 percent, and the rest would come from federal and other sources, such as box office receipts from sporting events. The county's share of the budget includes $5.6 million for teachers' Social Security.

Starting this year, the state, which used to pay that amount, shifted that burden to local school systems. malned. The rail stop was heavily used and helped put Aberdeen on International maps, first as an agricultural center, then as a cog in the Army's materiel supply operations during the first and second world wars. Mr. Wilson, who also delivered a prepared speech, urged raises for county employees and Increased spending for education.

"We continue to be amazed at the outstanding Job our teachers have been doing with our children in spite of leaky roofs, out-of-date equipment and all the other results of per-pupil spending, which continues to be 22nd out of Maryland's 24 subdivisions," he said. "How long do our children have to wait for us to do better?" Mr. Wilson also called on the county administration and the council to push ahead with legislation that would help control the effects of growth to prevent strains on county services and infrastructure, such as fills offered near the old Bainbrldge Naval Training Center after nearly 600 people turned out to fight the project. Cecil now accepts rubble at its municipal landfill. After that vote, county's planning commissioners also passed a new zoning restriction, requiring future rubble fills to be located in certain areas, virtually ensuring that they could be located only on land already owned by the government town, state, county or federal.

"If a new rubble fill was to pop up, It would be on government-owned land," said Al Wein, the Cecil County's director of planning and zoning. "I can't see government leasing land to a private business. Because of the ownership, it a rubble fill would most likely be government-operated, similar to what the senator has proposed." Mr. Amoss' bill would not affect Harford County's only operating private rubble fill, owned by Pap-py's or the Spencer Sand Gravel operation. A controversial proposal by Maryland Reclamation Associates Inc.

to locate a rubble fill on Gravel Hill Road now tied up in litigation also would not be affected by the legislation. "But all future rubble fills would be county-owned," said Mr. Amoss. 3 raises for teachers are endorsed along with $165 million school budget By Carol L. Bowers Staff Writer Other counties have laid off or furloughed employees and cut services to weather the economic storm, but Harford County has emerged unscathed, with a $13.6 million surplus, under the leadership of County Executive Eileen M.

Rehrmann. In her state-of-the-county speech to the County Council last night, the executive touted the county's economic health as a product of good money management. Predicting continued good financial footing, she promised a cost-of-living raise for county employees, who have gone two years without one. "From the beginning, we were determined to put into effect strong financial and management programs," Mrs. Rehrmann said, delivering a prepared speech.

"As a result of our strong financial position, we have been able to move needed construction projects while taking advantage of good prices and low financing rates." But the message from council Measure on By Carol L. Bowers Staff Writer Rubble landfills, the object of Intense criticism from local lawmakers and residents worried about contamination, shouldn't be run by private owners Interested mainly in profits, a state senator says. Sen. William H. Amoss, a Democrat whose District 35A includes portions of Harford and Cecil counties, has Introduced a measure that would require new rubble fills to be run by counties or a regional waste management authority.

In Harford, the Northeast Waste Management Authority, a public corporation created to help subdivisions cope with waste disposal, already operates the waste-to-energy Incinerator on the grounds of Aberdeen Proving Ground. At least three of Harford's County Council members Jeffrey D. Wilson, the council president; Barry T. Glassman. R-Dis-trict and Theresa M.

Pierno, D-Dlstrlct have been publicly calling for a county-owned rubble landfill for construction debris. "If the county owned It, we could limit the waste it accepts to waste generated within the county, so we would need fewer rubble fills," Mrs. Pierno said. The call In Harford for private President Jeffrey D. Wilson, delivered after Mrs.

Rehrmann's speech, painted a more bleak picture of life in Harford, saying its citizens are in "despair." "Citizens began to doubt that we can ever attain an adequate not to mention optimal level of public services and facilities, or that we will ever get a handle on environmental depredation or that they in their old age, or their children In their youth, shall be able to afford to live here," Mr. Wilson said. "Business people doubt their ability to survive, let alone prosper." He added that while financial health is essential for the county, "It Is not sufficient in the promotion, maintenance and restoration of community." public rubble Amoss introduces bill in Assembly rubble fills has been based on the experiences of the past year with Spencer Sand Gravel rubble fill In Abingdon. The state Department of the Environment shut down the rubble fill after officials found Spencer's had accepted too much debris such as leftover boards and concrete used in construction. In addition, tests have revealed high levels of suspected carcinogens in monitoring wells at the 55-acre rubble fill, and the company has been ordered to submit a clean-up plan.

Mrs. Pierno and other council members have learned the rubble fill continued to operate for many years without serious sanctions from the state Department of the Environment despite being cited repeatedly for operating violations. Mrs. Pierno has argued that if the county owned the rubble fill, it would have more control over what goes Into the facility. Cecil County, too, has qualms about private rubble fills.

In November, a county zoning board there rejected a proposal by a private company, Cecil Recycling Center to operate a rubble fill ttOur older libraries are not in bad shape, but our concern is that smaller elementary schools don't have the same reference SUPERINTENDENT RAY R. KEECH By Sherrie Ruhl Staff Writer Harford County teachers, who have gone without a raise for more than two years, would get 3 percent across-the-board salary increases under a three-year contract approved by the county school board. The raises come as part of a $165.3 million operating budget the board passed unanimously Monday night. School board members, heeding the recommendation of Superintendent Ray R. Keech.

added money to the school system's proposed spending plan but made no substantial changes. The budget includes money to hire 180 teachers and other full-time personnel. It would upgrade 11 part-time assistant principals to full-time and pay for 16 art teachers so every elementary school could offer art classes. Board members agreed to Mr. Keech request to add $145,000 for reference materials at all school libraries.

Each elementary school would get $2,500, each middle school $3,000 and each high school $5,000. Money for library books Is now allocated on a per-pupll basis, but that's unfair to smaller schools, Mr. Keech said. For library books, the per-pupll allocation at elementary schools Is $10.75, at middle schools 1 1 .55 and at high schools $20. 1 5.

"Our older libraries are not In bad shape, but our concern is that smaller elementary schools, such as Norrlsvllle, Dublin. Forest Hill or Darlington, don't have the same reference base as larger schools," Mr. Keech said. Along with providing for the across-the-board raises, the teachers contract includes annual step raises for qualifying employees raises that would be passed along to the school system's 1,400 nonteaching employees. Only teachers who have worked In the school system 1 5 years or less qualify for the step raises.

Members of the Harford County Education Association, which represents about 1,500 of the county's 2.200 teachers, overwhelmingly ratified the contract about two weeks ago. A three-year contract for the Harford County Educational Associa.